Michigan Defense: Defensive Line

Is it possible that the one unit that lost its best player in Brandon Graham will not only be the strength of the defense but will be even better than last season?  I personally think this year's defensive line will trump last year's with increased size, depth, and athleticism across the line.

It is tough to place any player at a specific position this fall with Michigan most likely going to the 3-3-5 defense.  In the 3-3-5 there will be a nose tackle, a strongside defensive end and a weakside defensive end.  Michigan’s likely lineup along the line will depend on the style of team that they are playing.

Against power rushing attacks, you will likely see Will Campbell at the nose with Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen at the defensive ends.  With Campbell's massive size in the middle and Martin's size/athleticism on the edge, Michigan would have more than enough size to battle in the trenches against the likes of Wisconsin and Iowa.

Against teams like Notre Dame and Michigan State who will throw the ball more, Martin will be at the nose with Van Bergen and Greg Banks likely at the two defensive end positions.  Banks is a fifth-year senior who will bring experience and size to the line.   Renaldo Sagesse and Adam Patterson will also provide depth along the line.

One potential newcomer to keep an eye on is Jibreel Black who is a Brandon Graham clone.  He is a powerful and athletic rush end similar to what Graham was.  Expect him to make a push for meaningful snaps as we get closer to the Big Ten season.

Upshot for 2010:

With key cogs Martin and Van Bergen continuing to give strong effort up front, and the potential emergence of Campbell as the 5-star man-child he is supposed to be, I expect Michigan’s defensive line to wreak havoc in opposing backfields.  The defensive line will have to play well to keep the woeful secondary from being overexposed.  Look for Black to have more of an impact midway through the year on the way to a potentially great career in Ann Arbor.